Registered agents make lodgements to ASIC registers on behalf of companies. Agents need to register for online access before they can use our online services.
You can apply to become a registered agent by lodging a听听(Form RA01). Once we have processed your application, you will be sent your ASIC registered agent number by email. This number allows you to:
register for our online services
(Form 362) for a company, and
lodge changes on behalf of these companies.
When applying to be a registered agent, you must read and agree to our registered agent terms and conditions.
Provide your ASIC registered agent number. If you don't yet have a registered agent number, you'll need to first.
Once all details have been entered, select 'Next'.
3. Select a username and password for your account
Select a username and password to be听used to log in to your online account. We recommend selecting something easy to remember for your username.
Your password must:
contain at least听eight characters and a maximum of sixteen characters
contain one lowercase letter (a-z), one uppercase letter (A-Z), and one number (0-9).听
4. Select a security question and answer
Provide听a security question and answer. If you forget your username or password,听you can reset your details by answering your security question. Your security answer is case sensitive so make sure you select something that you can easily remember.
If you forget your username or password and can't answer your security question, you will need to create another online account.
Once you've entered all details, select 'Next'.
5. Verify your new username and password
A pop-up box will appear and ask you to verify your details. Enter your newly created username and password and select 'OK'.
6. Provide your contact details
Provide a contact email address and phone number. Once you've registered for online access, ASIC will send all correspondence (like your client's听annual statement) to your online inbox. You will also receive notifications to your email address to let you know when there are messages in your online inbox.
Once you've entered all details, select 'Next'.
7. Complete declaration and submit application
Answer the declaration and select 'Submit' to complete your application.
You'll then see a screen confirming your request has been submitted.
8. Activating your online access account
To activate your account, you will need to print and sign the Participation Agreement and听email it to agent.registration@asic.gov.au. ASIC will contact you within two business days to confirm that your account has been activated.
9. Linking a company to your account (optional)
A company may authorise a registered agent to lodge documents and receive ASIC correspondence relating to the company on their behalf.
If a company has provided this authorisation, to link a company to your ASIC registered agent number and be the company's appointed registered agent,听you'll need to lodge a 听Notification by a company to nominate or cease a registered agent or contact address.听
Steps to log in
When logging in to our online services, you'll need to follow these steps.
1. Enter your registered agent number
You will need to enter your ASIC registered agent number before you can access your account.
2. Enter your account's username and password
A pop-up box will be displayed. Enter your username and password selected when you registered your account.
If you have forgotten your username or password, you can select 'Forgotten username' or 'Forgotten password' in the left hand column and reset your details.
Select 'OK' once you've entered your details.
3. View your account details
Once logged in, you will see your 'Inbox'. This will show any available messages regarding the companies to which you are appointed (if any). You can also start a new form, continue a saved form or view previously submitted forms (submitted forms are only available for 90 days).
Lodge documents online or via email
Lodge documents online
Below is a list of forms that can be lodged online by registered agents.
Where a form can be lodged online, registered agents must lodge using our online services:
If you're appointed as a company's registered agent, you can also view company information from your account. This听includes a company's annual statement date, addresses and current officeholder details.
You may experience issues when lodging the following forms online:
Changes to company details听-听the company's corporate key must be included on form
Form 362 Notification by a company to nominate or cease a registered agent or contact address -听the company's corporate key must be included on form
Form 6010 Application for voluntary deregistration of a company
Form 205A Notification of resolution to change company name
If you experience issues with these forms, you need to request to lodge documents by email.
For ASIC to accept your lodgement request, you must:
be an ASIC registered agent, or
be registered to use ASIC's Agent portal or EDGE software
How to submit a request to lodge documents via email
Complete the听
If possible, print and scan a copy of the document you are attempting to lodge
Send an email to听online.exceptions@asic.gov.au,听including why you cannot lodge online and copies of any error screens or messages you received when attempting to lodge听
We'll consider your request and where appropriate, send you a copy of the听 form. You will then need to return the completed form together with the email lodgement request by email to online.exceptions@asic.gov.au.
Ensure that:
the declaration has been completed and your ASIC registered agent number is recorded within the email lodgement request
if you're lodging a Change to company details or Form 362 Notification by a company to nominate or cease a registered agent or contact address, you must include the corporate key of the relevant company.
Making changes without being appointed to a company as their registered agent
As a registered agent, you can still lodge changes to company details and the Form 6010 online, even if you are not appointed as the company's registered agent. However, you'll need the company's corporate key.
To do so:
Log in to your account, select start new form and enter the company's ACN (as you normally would)
Enter the company's corporate key
Complete and submit lodgement
Company annual statements
If you have been appointed as the registered agent for a company, we'll send the annual statement to you.
If you have an online account with us, the annual statement will be available from your online account.
If you haven't received a company's annual statement within 5 days after the review date, you should听.
Requirements for storing signed documents lodged online
Our user guides provide step-by-step instructions for completing transactions online for registered agents. 听
Where available we include an additional video tutorial for some options.听
Where a form can be lodged online, registered agents must lodge using our online services:
User guides
Signing up and using the registered agent portal
Change company details
Deregister your company
Reserving a company name
Annual statements and payments
Other transactions
Full user guide for Registered agents
Frequently asked questions
What requirements do I need to meet to be a registered agent?
Registered agents make lodgements to ASIC registers on behalf of companies. There are a number of eligibility requirements and obligations that you need to consider before applying to become a registered agent.
To be eligible to be an ASIC registered agent, you:
must be a registered Australian company, the holder of a business name, or an individual that carries on business under their own name
must have an Australian Business Number (ABN)
must not be disqualified from managing corporations under the Corporations Act 2001.
New applicants will need to nominate a responsible person who will be accountable for the performance of the agent obligations under the ASIC Registered Agent Terms and Conditions.
For a full list of eligibility requirements, read the .
Obligations
The ASIC Registered Agent Terms and Conditions outline registered agent obligations about:
keeping your agent details up to date
use of our online services
carrying on a business
lodging documents with us
acting as the company agent of a registered Australian company
ceasing to act for a registered Australian company
For a full list of obligations for registered agents, read the .
What are the registered agent terms and conditions (T&Cs)?
We have introduced terms and conditions to the registration of ASIC registered agents.听
Registered agents need to confirm they have read and agree to the听 (T&Cs) which govern their use of our registry services.
What do I have to do?
All applicants are required to read and agree to the T&Cs when applying to become a registered agent.
The T&Cs describe the rights and responsibilities around being a registered agent, including the:
eligibility criteria to be a registered agent
grounds on which ASIC may cancel a registered agent status
requirements around lodging documents and lodging online, and
expectations of registered agents lodging on behalf of a company.
By better communicating the requirements to be a registered agent and strengthening our compliance work, we hope to better inform new and current registered agents about their obligations and promote the integrity of our registers.
How do I update or cancel your agent registration?
Under the ASIC Registered Agent Terms and Conditions, registered agents must let us know within 14 days if their details change (such as their email address or principal place of business).
They also need to let us know when they cease to act as a company's registered agent.
Updating your registered agent details
If any of your registered agent details change, you must let us know within 14 days of the change. This can include:
your postal address and/or physical business address
We may cancel your registration as an ASIC registered agent if you no longer meet eligibility criteria or fail to meet your registered agent obligations. For more information, visit ASIC-initiated cancellation of an agent's registration.
Related links
ASIC-initiated cancellation of an agent's registration
We may cancel your registration as an ASIC registered agent if you no longer meet eligibility criteria or fail to meet your registered agent obligations. The reasons for cancellation include:
you have breached any of the terms and conditions
you haven't lodged any documents with us for more than 12 months
you have entered into an insolvency 'event'
you have provided us with inaccurate or misleading information, or
you have caused adverse impacts to our systems or processes.
The ASIC Registered Agent Terms and Conditions contains more information about cancellation by ASIC of registration as an ASIC registered agent.
What happens if my agent registration is cancelled?
If your registration is cancelled, we will immediately cease your access to our registered agent online services. We will also contact all companies that you act for and advise them that your registration has been cancelled.
ASIC requirements for storing signed documents lodged online
Generally, forms and documents must be kept for a period of seven years and in some instances must include original signed paper copies.
Clause 8 (Special Conditions) of the ELP identifies specific forms that must kept by either the registered agent or the company or licensee. ASIC may request to see the signed paper copy of those forms.
Lodgers impacted by this requirement should familiarise themselves with the relevant sections of the ELP.
Examples of relevant clauses
Clause
Requirement
Clause 8.3
A Notification of appointment or cessation of a registered agent (Form 362) signed by a director or secretary of the company must be kept by the agent for seven years from the date of signing.
Clause 8.6
Documents, statements and reports for the following transactions must be held for seven years from the date signed and transmitted to ASIC by the Agent:
Copy of financial statements and reports听(Form 388)
Notification of half yearly reports听(Form 7051)
Statement to verify financial statements of a foreign company听(Form 405)
Annual return of a foreign company听(Form 406)
Australian Financial Services Licensee profit and loss statement and balance sheet听(Form FS70) and
Auditor's Report for AFS Licensees听(Form FS71)
Clause 8.8
A 'signed copy' is a paper printout of the Electronic Document that is physically signed or a paper document that corresponds to the electronic document that is physically signed.
Good record-keeping principles should be followed. ASIC may request information from registered agents to verify that the agent had sufficient approval to lodge听documents on behalf of a company. This ensures agents are complying with our expectations as听set out in the听Form RA01 Notification to register, change details of or cease as an agent听(Form RA01) Guide.
The Corporations Act outlines requirements for companies about their books and records. The company must decide how they manage this.
What do I do if I receive mail for a company that isn't mine?
This page explains the action you can take if you receive mail for a company you are not associated with.
Your ASIC key is a unique number used in ASIC Connect that helps us establish your identity and protects your business information by making sure only you and those you have authorised can access it.
Your industry funding security key is a unique number used to launch an online transaction in the ASIC Regulatory Portal that will enable us to calculate your final industry funding invoice. You will be prompted to submit business activity metric information on the operation of your business in the previous financial year.
